The Binge Cases: Doctor Billions - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

The Binge Cases: Doctor Billions — Society & Culture
The Binge Cases: Doctor Billions

After Derika Moses injured her back at work, she got her spine fused. But after surgery, her pain only got worse. She didn’t know why — until she got a letter in the mail telling her that some of the spinal hardware in her back might be counterfeit. Not sterile. Not FDA approved. Made in a machine shop in Temecula, California.

Doctor Billions tells the story of the billion-dollar healthcare fraud that turned thousands of patients into unwitting cogs in a scheme involving dozens of doctors, lawyers and healthcare professionals across the country.

At the center of one of the nation’s largest healthcare frauds was an elusive man named Michael Drobot. His ambition to turn a Long Beach hospital into a destination for back surgeons was at the expense of thousands of patients blind to what was happening behind the scenes.

One whistleblower told me: “I’m looking at the surgery board for tomorrow going, ‘These people are f***ed.’”

Doctor Billions is hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalist Ben Adair for Sony Music Entertainment’s The Binge.

–

Episodes release weekly on Thursdays.

To binge the series right now, hit ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com.

Follow The Binge Crimes and The Binge Cases to get new stories on the first of the month, every month.

Join The Binge’s free newsletter – Patreon.com/TheBinge

Copyright: © Sony Music Entertainment

Latest Episodes:

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 6. DNA of a Scammer Sep 05, 2024

Show notes

The mastermind behind the Maria Duval scam is revealed. Who is he and how did he operate one of the biggest scams in U.S. history? Investigative reporter Rachel Browne discovers this wasn’t his first mail-order operation and that Terry Polevoy, an amateur scam-buster, had helped expose that scheme. Rachel discovers the mastermind’s M.O.

Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.

Just click Subscribe on the top of the Smoke Screen show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.

An ITN Productions & Sony Music Entertainment production.

Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 5. The Runner Aug 29, 2024

Show notes

U.S. Postal Inspector Clayton Gerber discovers that the letters are entering the country via Albany, NY, and that they’re originating from a company in Montreal. Locating criminals across the border for extradition is no simple task, but eventually Clayton finds two of the scam’s top lieutenants. Can he get them to give up the name of their boss, the true mastermind of the scheme?

Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.

Just click Subscribe on the top of the Smoke Screen show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.

An ITN Productions & Sony Music Entertainment production.

Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 4. The Swiss Swindlers Aug 22, 2024

Show notes

To find out how the scheme is operating in the present, we go back to how it all started. We know that two Swiss businessmen had bought Maria’s name and image to add legitimacy to their mailing scheme and launch letters across Europe. But who were these men? What motivated them to cheat hundreds of thousands of people out of their life savings? And where are they today?

Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.

Just click Subscribe on the top of the Smoke Screen show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.

An ITN Productions & Sony Music Entertainment production.

Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 3. One Man's Trash Aug 15, 2024

Show notes

The Maria Duval letter scam began in Europe—so how did it make its way to America? U.S. Postal Inspector Clayton Gerber begins to unravel the threads of the scam when he discovers an address on Long Island, where victims are sending their replies to Duval. They also send intimate items like locks of their hair, hoping for the psychic’s help. Clayton’s team goes dumpster diving on Long Island and finds bags of return letters – proof Duval herself wasn’t getting the replies. Why were their replies ending up here, of all places? And who’s responsible?

Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.

Just click Subscribe on the top of the Smoke Screen show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.

An ITN Productions & Sony Music Entertainment production.

Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 2. Psychic to the Stars Aug 08, 2024

Show notes

Who was Maria Duval? Her son says she had a gift, an ability to see people’s futures. She helped locate missing people and worked with the French elite, befriending Jacques Chirac and Brigitte Bardot. In the late 80s, when two businessmen approached Maria Duval with a life-changing deal, her name becomes synonymous with one of the greatest scams ever written.

Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.

Just click Subscribe on the top of the Smoke Screen show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.

An ITN Productions & Sony Music Entertainment production.

Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 1. Your Devoted Friend Aug 01, 2024

Show notes

What would you do if you got a mysterious letter promising to restore your health and vitality? Doreen Robinson wrote back and sent money to the French psychic named Maria Duval who’d written to her. As their relationship deepened, Doreen had no idea that she wasn’t the only one. In fact, hundreds of thousands of people had gotten a Duval letter, and gave an estimated $175m. How was this possible?

Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.

Just click Subscribe on the top of the Smoke Screen show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.

An ITN Productions & Sony Music Entertainment production.

Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing: The Greatest Scam Ever Written Jul 25, 2024

Show notes

What would you do if one handwritten letter promised to change your life forever?

All of us want magic, to feel like there is some sort of exterior force guiding our next steps, to believe our fate is written in the stars. This is the story of 1 million hopeful Americans, the global scam that took $200m from them, and the mastermind who managed it all by sending out thousands of letters a week.

Investigative journalist Rachel Browne takes us through the facts of the fraud, from its brilliantly simple conception to the revelation and imprisonment of the fraudster themselves. Speaking through letters from behind bars, the con artist maintains their innocence, saying:  ‘Maybe it's not moral, maybe it's bullshit, but it doesn’t mean it's fraud.’

And that is the question at the heart of The Greatest Scam Ever Written: What happens if you want to believe that sending $50 to a psychic will change the course of your destiny? Are you a victim, or a willing participant?

Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free as soon as they drop on August 1st by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, you'll get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month, every month - thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.

Just click subscribe on the top of the Smoke Screen show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access.

An ITN Productions & Sony Music Entertainment production.

Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My Friend, the Serial Killer | 6. Unfinished Business Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

Despite promises made by the police, the killer faces the death penalty for his crimes. Donna confesses that she is terrified her father will find a way to avoid the death penalty, get out of prison, and come after her. As time goes on, Donna and Steve reckon with the aftershocks of her father’s crimes, the mistakes Steve made as a young journalist, and the damage the killer inflicted on his victims… both living and dead.

This episode will be released for free on July 8th.

Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen: My Friend, the Serial Killer, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free. Just click Subscribe on the top of the Smoke Screen show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.

An Orbit Media & Sony Music Entertainment production in association with Rhyme Media.

Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My Friend, the Serial Killer | 5. Donna Jul 01, 2024

Show notes

In the present day, Steve tracks down Donna, the killer’s daughter, who he first met when she was 12. Nearly fifty years later, Donna describes the harsh reality of growing up the daughter of a serial killer who she loved.

This episode will be released for free on July 1st.

Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen: My Friend, the Serial Killer, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.

Just click Subscribe on the top of the Smoke Screen show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.

An Orbit Media & Sony Music Entertainment production in association with Rhyme Media.

Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My Friend, the Serial Killer | 4. The Exclusive Jun 24, 2024

Show notes

Steve secures his exclusive interview with the killer, who reveals what he considers the “real reasons” his victims died. While digging into this investigative lead, Steve tracks down a former social worker, who has a stunning revelation for Steve that will completely change his understanding of the case.

This episode will be released for free on June 24th.

Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen: My Friend, the Serial Killer, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.

Just click Subscribe on the top of the Smoke Screen show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.

An Orbit Media & Sony Music Entertainment production in association with Rhyme Media. Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Related Podcasts